A Framework for Delivering Targeted Occupancy Interventions to Reduce Energy Usage in Buildings

Abstract Policies aimed at reducing building energy use have often resulted in inefficiencies due to their higher costs, requirements to comply with regulations, incentives, and/or sanctions; and neglecting the impact of occupants on building energy use. To overcome these challenges, energy policy measures can be designed and implemented by identifying occupants’ behavior that significantly impact building energy use and relevant factors that may lead to sustainable behavior pattern. Therefore, this study presents a conceptual framework that proposes a multi-level intervention strategy that is tailored to varying occupants’ characteristics to produce and maintain energy use reduction in buildings over time. The framework is designed in two main steps: (1) identifying the occupants’ energy use and behavioral characteristics before and after the exposure of any energy efficiency intervention (e.g., education, persuasion); and (2) delivering targeted occupancy interventions based on occupants’ energy use and behavioral characteristics. This framework will assist decision-makers in formulating and designing effective energy policy tools at lower costs to deliver occupancy-focused interventions for reducing building energy use.

[1]  J. Zaichkowsky.  Measuring the Involvement Construct , 1985 .

[2]  Elie Azar,et al.  A comprehensive analysis of the impact of occupancy parameters in energy simulation of office buildings , 2012 .

[3]  A. McMakin,et al.  Motivating Residents to Conserve Energy without Financial Incentives , 2002 .

[4]  Thomas A. Heberlein,et al.  The influence of price and attitude on shifting residential electricity consumption from on- to off-peak periods , 1983 .

[5]  Chris von Borgstede,et al.  Public attitudes to climate change and carbon mitigation—Implications for energy-associated behaviours , 2013 .

[6]  Robert W. Marans,et al.  The human dimension of energy conservation and sustainability: A case study of the University of Michigan's energy conservation program , 2010 .

[7]  Jeannet H. Van Houwelingen,et al.  The Effect of Goal-Setting and Daily Electronic Feedback on In-Home Energy Use , 1989 .

[8]  Hannah Justus.  Persistence of Energy Efficiency Behaviors over Time: Evidence from a Community-Based Program Author: , 2013 .

[9]  Saul Greenberg,et al.  One size does not fit all: applying the transtheoretical model to energy feedback technology design , 2010, CHI.

[10]  Jerry Yudelson,et al.  Greening Existing Buildings , 2009 .

[11]  C. Moorman.  The Effects of Stimulus and Consumer Characteristics on the Utilization of Nutrition Information , 1990 .

[12]  Elie Azar,et al.  An Agent-Based Approach to Model the Effect of Occupants' Energy Use Characteristics in Commercial Buildings , 2011 .

[13]  Stephen Garvin,et al.  Simulating energy use and energy pricing in buildings: The case of electricity , 2012 .

[14]  Richard L. Celsi,et al.  The Role of Involvement in Attention and Comprehension Processes , 1988 .

[15]  C. Vlek,et al.  A review of intervention studies aimed at household energy conservation , 2005 .

[16]  E. Geller.  Evaluating Energy Conservation Programs: Is Verbal Report Enough? , 1981 .

[17]  E. Scott Geller,et al.  Encouraging College Students to Support Pro-Environment Behavior , 2001 .

[18]  Abbas Elmualim,et al.  Providing persuasive feedback through interactive posters to motivate energy-saving behaviours , 2015 .

[19]  S. Hayes,et al.  Reducing residential electrical energy use: payments, information, and feedback. , 1977, Journal of applied behavior analysis.

[20]  James E. Braun,et al.  Reducing energy costs and peak electrical demand through optimal control of building thermal storage , 1990 .

[21]  Marije Bosch,et al.  Developing and selecting interventions for translating knowledge to action , 2010, Canadian Medical Association Journal.

[22]  M. Rothschild.  Carrots, Sticks, and Promises: A Conceptual Framework for the Management of Public Health and Social Issue Behaviors , 1999 .

[23]  Wayne Binney,et al.  Developing Better Public Policy to Motivate Responsible Environmental Behavior–An Examination of Managers' Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Controlling Introduced Species , 2004 .

[24]  Paul Dolan,et al.  Neighbors, Knowledge, and Nuggets: Two Natural Field Experiments on the Role of Incentives on Energy Conservation , 2013 .

[25]  Michel J. J. Handgraaf,et al.  Public Praise vs. Private Pay: Effects of Rewards on Energy Conservation in the Workplace , 2013 .

[26]  Rajesri Govindaraju,et al.  Physicians' Adoption of Electronic Medical Records: Model Development Using Ability - Motivation - Opportunity Framework , 2013, ICT-EurAsia.

[27]  N. Wong,et al.  The effects of rooftop garden on energy consumption of a commercial building in Singapore , 2003 .

[28]  Peter H. Bloch,et al.  After the New Wears Off: The Temporal Context of Product Involvement , 1986 .

[29]  C. Vlek,et al.  Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour : An integrative review and research agenda , 2009 .

[30]  Bernard J. Jaworski,et al.  Enhancing and Measuring Consumers’ Motivation, Opportunity, and Ability to Process Brand Information from Ads , 1991 .